Scottish Executive

Air Services

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provided funding for the bid to bring direct New York flights to Edinburgh.

Nicol Stephen: The forthcoming Edinburgh to New York (Newark) air service will be the subject of investment by the Route Development Fund. This service will be aimed at improving business links and inbound tourism to Scotland.

Arts

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the further review of the status, organisation and remit of the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland, as referred to in Public Bodies: Proposals for Change .

Mr Frank McAveety: I can now confirm the outcome of the review and our proposals to replace the Royal Fine Art Commission with a new non-statutory, advisory, non-departmental public body (NDPB) which will have a wider range of activities and will commence formal activities early in 2005.

  Ministers greatly appreciate the valuable work carried out by the commission, but we believe that, in a devolved Scotland, the time has come to modernise it and its functions. We are committed to retaining a national design review body, but propose that the Royal Warrant is withdrawn and a successor body established to take over the functions of the commission. Her Majesty the Queen has given her consent to the proposed change.

  We see no need for a statutory basis for the new body.

  It is our preliminary intention that the successor body will be called Architecture and Design Scotland; the intention is that a new name on these lines will signal the modernised role of the organisation in line with other Scottish NDPB's and more accurately reflect the work of the organisation. It is our intention that Architecture and Design Scotland will build on the current design review functions of the Royal Commission but will become a more proactive organisation, working in line with the aims of the Executive's national policy on architecture and the Designing Places policy statement. We are in process of discussing the status, detailed structure and name of the new body with the current commissioners.

  The overall objective is that Architecture and Design Scotland will be an independent "champion" for good architecture and design in Scotland. More emphasis will be placed on the promotion and advocacy of the principles and benefits of good design to both the private and public sector. It will therefore be important for Architecture and Design Scotland to work in a joined up way with other organisations, in accordance with the principles of Public Bodies: Proposals for Change. New activities undertaken to promote and encourage better design will include providing design advice and training; organising seminars and conferences, and producing guidance where relevant.

  Detailed guidance will be issued in due course by the Executive on the terms of reference of Architecture and Design Scotland to ensure that it will be an open, accountable and effective organisation. In addition, Architecture and Design Scotland will publish a clear explanation of the criteria that will be used in carrying out the design review function and its wish to consult more widely with interest groups and the general public.

  We have arrived at these proposals for modernisation after examining a variety of options for carrying out the proposed functions and exploring how the principles of Public Bodies: Proposals for Change can best be met. We believe that the role of "design champion" and the provision of independent design advice to ministers, NDPBs, local authorities and developers must be carried out by an arms length body, to ensure the acceptance of the organisation as an impartial provider of advice. We are clear that this role could not be provided by any other existing body.

  Architecture and Design Scotland will be clearly accountable to ministers and the people of Scotland, producing an annual report to Parliament which will detail how it has spent its funding and what activities have been carried out in the last year. Future funding allocations to Architecture and Design Scotland will take account of the value for money it demonstrates in these reports.

  With the agreement of Commissioner for Public Appointments, we intend to invite the current Commissioners who are eligible and judged suitable for the wider role, to become board members of the new body and to serve out the remainder of their existing terms of office with Architecture and Design Scotland. The remainder of the retiring commissioners will be replaced by new board members appointed through open competition in accordance with the Executive's policy on public appointments.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-358 by Ms Margaret Curran on 4 September 2003, whether it is satisfied with the treatment of children of asylum seekers in areas within its responsibility.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive’s responsibilities are to children of asylum seekers dispersed into communities. Implementation of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum Action Plan is ensuring improvements for children of asylum seekers. A report on progress being made in implementing the action plan was published on 28 August. Copies are available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what housing provision is in place for single male asylum seekers whose application for refugee status has been refused but who do not yet have a date for deportation.

Ms Margaret Curran: Under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the National Asylum and Support Service, which is part of the Home Office, has responsibility for the accommodation and support of asylum seekers. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the provision of housing for asylum seekers.

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is available to local GPs to assist them in dealing with asylum seekers who have no knowledge of NHS procedures.

Malcolm Chisholm: Asylum seekers who come to Scotland through National Asylum Support Services are entitled to the same health care system as the indigenous population. The Scottish Refugee Integration Forum Action Plan was launched last year and provided information and recommendations for the health service. This was supported by a national conference held in February, which shared good practice and identified the challenges ahead.

  The majority of asylum seekers in Scotland are based in Glasgow. Greater Glasgow NHS Board and Primary Care NHS Trust provide GP registration to all asylum seekers dispersed from London within two working days of their arrival. There are currently 35 GP practices and associated staff providing this service throughout the city.

  A multi-disciplinary asylum support team has been established which provides information to all GPs in Glasgow, and training for frontline staff and other health professionals is available through Greater Glasgow Primary Care NHS Trust’s Multicultural Team.

  Glasgow Interpreting and Translating Services provides services for patients, families, health professionals and community groups. Health professionals are encouraged to use these services for patient consultations.

  The National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health is currently developing a resource pack for all NHS staff and a website will soon exist for access to up-to-date information.

  The Scottish Executive has worked with the National Asylum Support Services and the National Resource Centre for Ethnic Minority Health to ensure that information on NHS procedures are part of the induction process for asylum seekers. A variety of health information leaflets are available and posters in 18 languages exist in all GP and dental surgeries explaining how to make an appointment and outlining what to expect.

Bathing Waters

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, and will take, to improve the quality of bathing water and beaches.

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is committed to working for a cleaner and safer environment and works closely with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water and the agricultural sector to ensure that all sectors play their part in reducing pollution to the water, reduce pollution to the water environment and to encourage the application of best practice to protect the environment.

  Since the production of the Scottish Executive’s Bathing Waters: A strategy for improvement in March 2002, SEPA has developed an action plan approach to inspect all pollution sources and apply steps to remedy any problems found and the Scottish Executive has sanctioned the expenditure of £1.8 billion by Scottish Water during 2002-06 to upgrade its assets, with priority action being taken to protect bathing waters. A number of pilot projects are being taken forward by the Scottish Executive on the range of sources and pathways of diffuse pollution from livestock farms in bathing water catchments to assess the most cost-effective solutions to minimise diffuse pollution risks.

  These actions are already having an effect, and results from this year’s bathing season (the best yet for Scotland) reflect efforts made by all parties on this complicated issue.

Cancer

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on meeting the target in Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change for all NHS boards to have undertaken comprehensive needs assessments for palliative care by March 2002.

Malcolm Chisholm: This exercise is being pursued in a variety of ways best suited to local requirements. Published Local Health Plans for 2003-04 and Cancer in Scotland Monitoring Reports indicate that many NHS boards have completed palliative care needs assessments. In some areas this exercise has been overtaken by the development of palliative care strategies arising from the establishment of palliative care networks.

Cancer

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what developments are planned for palliative care as a result of comprehensive needs assessments for palliative care carried out by NHS boards.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2745 today, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  Some specific developments include the completion of a baseline survey in the Western Isles, the inclusion of palliative care in the Dumfries and Galloway local cancer plan, the establishment of a palliative care Managed Clinical Network in Lothian and the development of a post in Lanarkshire to work with the local palliative care planning group.

Care Commission

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide comparative costs for the regulation and inspection of care services by local authorities and NHS boards in the three years prior to the establishment of the Care Commission and by the commission in the three years following its establishment.

Mr Tom McCabe: Comparative information on local authority and NHS board costs over the relevant period is not held centrally. For information on the Care Commission’s budget I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-2685 on 30 September 2003, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Community Wardens

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1576 by Ms Margaret Curran on 13 August 2003, who, in addition to the Scottish Police Federation, responded to its plans for community wardens and whether it will place a copy of any such responses in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ms Margaret Curran: A comprehensive list of respondents is given in the annex of Building strong, safe and attractive communities: summary of consultation responses , published in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number: 29308). Copies of individual responses are available in full for inspection at the Scottish Executive Library.

Community Wardens

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-24699 by Mr Jim Wallace on 1 May 2002, what the role of a community warden will be and whether it will be different from that of a neighbourhood warden.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested is available in paragraph 12, page 12, of Building strong, safe and attractive communities: Guidance for submissions , published in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 28543)

Community Wardens

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what uniform community wardens will wear

Ms Margaret Curran: The choice of uniform is a local decision.

Community Wardens

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many community wardens are proposed and what funding is being allocated for them, broken down by local authority area.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested on indicative allocations is available in Annex 3, page 25 of Building strong, safe and attractive communities: guidance for submissions , published in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 28543). Local authorities have been asked to submit proposals that have been developed together with their community planning partners for how these resources will be used.

Community Wardens

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment will be made of the effectiveness of the community warden scheme.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested is given in section 11.4 (page 11) of Building strong, safe and attractive communities: Guidance for submissions , published in 2003, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 28543)

Council Tax

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average council tax bill was in each of the last five financial years, expressed as a percentage of the average (a) wage and (b) state pension.

Tavish Scott: The Scotland average council tax per dwelling from 1998-99 to 2002-03 is shown in the following table. The amounts stated are also expressed as a percentage of the average gross annual earnings, and as a percentage of the average state pension.

   1998-99   1999-2000   2000-01   2001-02   2002-03 Scotland average council tax per dwelling1 (£)   688   707   739   776   814 As a percentage of gross annual earnings2 (%)   3.78   3.73   3.74   3.69   3.67 As a percentage of average state pension3 (%)   20.8   20.5   21.0   20.5   20.5   

  Notes:

  1. Figures are inclusive of disabled band reduction and all 25% and 50% discounts, but do not include council tax benefit or water and sewerage charges. source: data supplied to the Scottish Executive by local authorities.

  2. Gross annual earnings are for full-time employees in Scotland. Source: Office for National Statistics.

  3. Average state pension is at the UK level and does not include payments made under the Minimum Income Guarantee. Source: DWP State Pension Statistics.

Courts

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for witnesses to receive court expenses.

Colin Boyd QC: The vast majority of witnesses submit a claim in person at the local cashier’s office and receive payment for court expenses on the day they attend court. Where claims are submitted by post to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Finance Section, the claimant can expect, on average, to receive reimbursement within five working days of receipt of the claim by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Finance Section.

European Commission

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1839 by Nicol Stephen, which meetings between the European Commission and member states it has attended since 1999 and what contributions it made to each meeting.

Nicol Stephen: Discussions between member states and the Commission are private and inform internal discussion and advice. As such, this information is exempted under part II, sections 2 and 14(b) of the Code of Practice for Access to Scottish Executive Information .

Ferry Services

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on re-launching the Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry route and what funding it and the Northern Ireland Assembly will make available to support the route.

Nicol Stephen: The response to the tendering exercise initiated in 2002, did not produce a bid that met the criteria laid down by the Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Executive is now considering future options and any funding implications in consultation with the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Fire Services (Scotland) Bill

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its consultation paper on the proposed Fire Services (Scotland) Bill.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service – Proposals for Legislation is being published today. The paper is being made available on the Scottish Executive website and copies will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. The document Bib. number is 29448.

Gaelic

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received from local authorities to the legislative requirement that provision be made for Gaelic-medium education as a national priority; what action it plans to take in relation to such responses; whether its draft Gaelic Language Bill will be extended to education and will include a requirement that provision must be made by each local authority for Gaelic-medium education, and, if so, what precise requirements will be placed on local authorities and whether these requirements will be determined by it, Bord na Gaighlig, or some other body.

Peter Peacock: Education authorities are required by the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000, to prepare and publish an annual statement of education improvement objectives, which shall include an account of the ways in which they will provide Gaelic-medium education and the ways in which they will seek to develop their provision of such education. Authorities’ improvement objectives also have to take account of the National Priorities in Education and the performance measures published in respect of the priorities, including the number and percentage of requests for Gaelic-medium education met by the authority. Several local authorities have been able to report meeting all, or the overwhelming majority, of parental requests for Gaelic-medium education. Many authorities have also used the improvement framework to embed their policies around Gaelic-medium education fully into their wider strategy for school education.

  I consider that there is scope for some education authorities to improve further their planning of Gaelic-medium education and am therefore taking action in three areas:

  1. education authorities will be given a clear reminder of their duty to address Gaelic-medium education in their annual statement of improvement objectives and progress reports, and of the Executive’s expectation that they will do so;

  2. education authorities will be asked to establish thresholds against which they will assess parental demand for Gaelic-medium education within their area, and

  3. Bòrd na Gàidhlig and the Management Review Group of local authorities will be invited to establish a joint sub-group to review the performance measurement against which Gaelic-medium education development is measured.

  The content of the forthcoming draft Gaelic Language Bill has yet to be agreed by Cabinet. However, I am minded to invite Bòrd na Gàidhlig to offer advice to local authority education authorities on the development of Gaelic-medium education policies and to give them a role in advising the Executive on the sufficiency of such policies and plan to consult on this issue as part of the consultation process around the Gaelic Language Bill.

  I take the advancement of Gaelic-medium education very seriously. I will not hesitate to use my powers to issue statutory guidance under the terms of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 if the further development of education authority improvement plans in relation to Gaelic-medium education demonstrates that is needed.

Hallmarking

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S2W-2309 and S2W-2310 by Mr Jim Wallace on 9 September 2003, what the impact of the ending of Scottish hallmarking would be on local communities.

Mr Jim Wallace: The UK Government does not support the draft EU directive on hallmarking currently being negotiated. The draft directive does not call for the ending of hallmarking, it would make hallmarking one of three options available. It would be inappropriate to speculate about any effect on local communities.

Health

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has comparative information about post-operative mortality following major surgery in all EU countries and, if so, how the position in the NHS in Scotland compares to the rest of the EU.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not have comparative information about post-operative mortality following major surgery for all EU countries. Such a comprehensive data source does not currently exist. However, under the new EU public health programme, (6th Framework), work will be conducted to create a prototype for a health monitoring system. A project bid for 6th Framework resources sponsored by Instituto Superiore de Sanita, Rome, and supported by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, has been made and, if successful, would aim to identify the most appropriate medical procedures on which to concentrate to produce comparative outcomes for EU member states.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any legislation prevents a relative of a local councillor from sitting as an independent member on the board of a housing association that has received transferred local authority housing stock.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  There is no legislation specifically preventing a relative of a local councillor from sitting as an independent member on the board of a housing association that has received transferred local authority housing stock.

  The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 (the 2001 act) gives Scottish ministers the power to set standards for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) (which includes housing associations). Performance Standards have been established by Communities Scotland on behalf of Scottish ministers, jointly with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The standards do not contain any provision to prevent a relative of a local councillor serving on the board of an RSL. However, the standards do require that RSLs have a proper constitution and that they comply with the terms of this. In some circumstances, an individual RSL’s constitution may contain provisions that prevent the relatives of local councillors from serving on the governing body of the organisation.

  In addition, part 1 of schedule 7 to the 2001 act restricts the types of payments and benefits that RSLs can make to employees, governing body members and the close relatives of employees and governing body members. An RSL may wish to consider refusing board membership to a close relative of a councillor in circumstances where appointing them may place the RSL in breach of schedule 7 regulations.

Housing

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2307 by Ms Margaret Curran on 11 September 2003, whether it will provide a breakdown of how it intended the £68.1 million, paid to the Glasgow Housing Association Ltd since the completion of the Glasgow housing stock transfer in March 2003, to be allocated.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Since the completion of the Glasgow housing stock transfer in March 2003, £68.1 million of funding has been paid to the Glasgow Housing Association Ltd and the funding is broken down as follows.

  Funding to the Glasgow Housing Association Ltd since March 2003

  





£ Million 
  



Repayable Grant 
  

63.250 
  



Training 
  

0.036 
  



Central Heating Programme 
  

0.488 
  



Management Costs to date of transfer 
  

4.304 
  



Total 
  

68.077

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been made for extension of the 110 day rule in each of the last three years and how many such applications have been granted.

Cathy Jamieson: Comprehensive information has not in the past been gathered on applications, but primary research undertaken on behalf of Lord Bonomy and based on a sample of 2001 indictments showed that in 2001 the 110 day time limit was extended at least once in 23% of custody cases in the High Court.

Justice

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what type of inquiry was mounted following the allegation of criminal conspiracy and/or attempt to pervert the course of justice made in the letter of 4 April 2003 to the Lord Advocate by Mr Iain McKie; what the remit of any such inquiry was, and who conducted the inquiry.

Colin Boyd QC: Mr Iain McKie wrote to the Lord Advocate on 7 April 2003 (rather than 4 April) concerning new information which he considered was relevant to his belief that there had been an attempt to pervert the course of justice in connection with the perjury case against his daughter Shirley McKie. The Crown Office, with the assistance of Strathclyde Police, carried out appropriate enquiries into Mr McKie’s allegations and the outcome of those enquiries was reported to Mr McKie on 4 July 2003.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the amount paid to witnesses in court expenses was last reviewed and whether the current level of witness expenses is adequate.

Colin Boyd QC: The last review of witness expenses was conducted in February 2001.

  Witness expenses in respect of travel and subsistence rates, childminding rates, fees paid to professional witnesses and fees paid to expert witnesses are currently under review. Revised rates will be implemented in the near future.

Mental Health

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-being in Scotland will address the mental health needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals.

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review provision of mental health services for lesbians, gay men and bisexuals following publication of the Mind report Mental health and social well-being of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals in England and Wales .

Mr Tom McCabe: The approaches adopted for responding to the whole person needs of lesbians, gay men and bisexuals in Scotland are captured in the Executive's Equality Strategy which commits all to have regard to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in Scotland in order to ensure that policies and practices, including those for mental health needs, are informed of the issues of concern to these communities.

  The policy and approach for the organisation of mental health services is kept under review. The MIND report on the effect of intolerance, stigmatisation and discrimination suffered is reflected in the positive approaches we pursue in Scotland for the best organisation of care and enlightened public attitudes to minority groups and care conditions.

  The National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing seeks to address the whole population’s mental health needs, while ensuring that national and local work takes account of key priority groups.

  In relation to the needs of the lesbian, gay and bisexual communities, there is currently a lack of good information on the mental health needs of these groups. To help overcome this and to get a more informed view, the National Programme along with the Scottish Executive Health Planning and Quality Division, are funding a national two-year project which will be based in the voluntary sector body Stonewall Scotland.

NHS Modernisation

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information technology pilot schemes are currently in operation within the NHS; what the nature of such schemes is; what the timescale for such schemes is, and what evaluations of them (a) have taken place and (b) will take place, specifying approximate timescales

Malcolm Chisholm: Partnership for Care highlighted the urgent need to move to an eHealth culture driven by clinicians. To achieve this a Clinical Information Management & Technology lead has been appointed within Scottish Executive Health Department and Directors of Clinical Information are being appointed in health boards to work with a new ministerially chaired Health Programme Board to take forward the work necessary to achieve an integrated care record managed jointly by patients and professional NHS staff with inbuilt security of access governed by patient consent.

  Partnership for Care also pointed to the need for co-ordinated national rather than local procurements of the support systems such as the electronic storage and transmission of electronic scanner and x-ray electronic images already available in some Scottish hospitals. The aim is to have a consistent level of support systems available in Scottish hospitals able to support the Integrated Care Record. The first of these procurements for accident and emergency support systems is nearly complete and further procurements will proceed over the next two years.

  Nationally focus has been on creating the necessary infrastructure to allow access to PCs and networks. This has allowed the central Electronic Clinical Communications Implementation (ECCI) team, working with local teams, to make real progress. 73% of laboratory tests results are available electronically, 38% of GP practices used electronic test results reporting during the last reporting period and 18% of all GP referral letters are now electronic. These numbers are rising.

  Pilots are not always the best way to develop information systems in the NHS because of variations in clinical working practice and systems but a national pilot is currently in operation established at Irvine, Kilwinning and Dundonald Local Health Care Co-oprative in Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care Trust. It is the lead site in a programme of work to enable GPs, Community Pharmacists and Common Services Agency to communicate electronically. Community Pharmacists will be linked to NHSNet and prescriptions transmitted electronically from GPs to Community Pharmacists. There was no formal evaluation experience gained and lessons learned from the lead site is being fed into wider implementation plans. NHSNet connections will next be rolled out in NHS Tayside to support the roll-out of the Direct Supply of Medicine project, targeting initially those Community Pharmacists in Dundee who will be involved with that project. A national programme is being devised for roll-out between 2003 and 2006.

Nuclear Submarines

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to reject any planning application made in respect of decommissioning nuclear submarines at Ardyne Point on the Cowal peninsula under the interim storage of laid-up submarines project.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Powers exist under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 for the Scottish ministers to call-in and determine planning applications.

Nuclear Submarines

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sites selected in Scotland by the Ministry of Defence for the decommissioning of nuclear submarines under the interim storage of laid-up submarines project will be subject to Scottish planning law and whether there are no special exemptions in place under the Scotland Act 1998 that could be invoked to circumvent such planning laws.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Development arising as a result of this project will either be subject to the requirements of Scottish planning legislation, or subject to the administrative procedures in place to deal with development which benefits from Crown Immunity from planning control.

  These administrative arrangements mirror the requirements of the planning system for development by Crown bodies such as Government Departments. Where a planning application would otherwise be required, the Government Department will give notice to the planning authority. If the planning authority object to the proposal, and if the Government Department wish to pursue the proposal, the Government Department will refer the matter to the Scottish ministers for their determination.

  There is no provision in, nor any arrangement under, the Scotland Act 1998 which sets aside any requirements of planning legislation in this type of case.

Nutrition

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice is available to local GPs about any potential health risks of high protein diets such as the Atkins diet.

Mr Tom McCabe: GPs are advised by local dieticians and specialists regarding specialist diets, including weight reducing diets. They also have access to information from agencies such as the Food Standards Agency, medical literature and National Guidelines.

Pensioners

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of single (a) pensioner and (b) parent households had a net annual income of less than £10,000 in each year since 1999-2000.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of single pensioner households have savings or investments.

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of single pensioner households have sought help about money problems in each year since 1999-2000.

Ms Margaret Curran: The answers to this and two other related parliamentary questions (S2W-1992 and S2W-1993) are provided as a consolidated response, with information collated from the Scottish Household Survey (SHS) where possible.

  1. Proportion of single parent and single pensioner households with a net annual income of less than £10,000 in each year, 1999-2002

  

 

Single Parent 
  

Single Pensioner 
  



1999 
  

63 
  

83 
  



2000 
  

56 
  

80 
  



2001 
  

44 
  

77 
  



2002 
  

39 
  

70 
  



  Source: Scottish Household Survey.

  2. Proportion of single pensioner households with savings or investments, 1999-2002

  





Single Pensioner 
  



1999 
  

53 
  



2000 
  

52 
  



2001 
  

53 
  



2002 
  

53 
  



  Source: Scottish Household Survey.

  3. Proportion of single pensioner households have sought help about money problems in each year since 1999-2000.

  The specific information requested here is not collated by the SHS, and there is no other source for this information. However, the SHS does collect information about how households are "managing financially", and this and other information is available from the SHS website:

  www.scotland.gov.uk/shs/.

Police

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been an increase in the number of police officers working for Strathclyde Police in the last five years and, if so, what the increase has been in (a) the number of officers and (b) the number of officers on active duty.

Cathy Jamieson: The total number of police officers employed by Strathclyde Police has increased by 260 in the last five years.

  The number of officers on active duty is a matter for Strathclyde Police.

Police

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new police officers Strathclyde Police aims to recruit in each of the next three years.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not held centrally and is a matter for Strathclyde Police.

Police

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police officers are currently employed on administrative, court and other non-operational duties.

Cathy Jamieson: The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for Chief Constables. Information on the deployment of police officers is not held centrally.

  Forces are currently carrying out an Activity Analysis across all police functions. When collated and analysed, this will provide detailed information for forces on the deployment of police officers.

Post Office

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that people receiving benefits, pensions and tax credits (a) can still collect them and (b) have a range of current accounts available at the Post Office in order to maintain strong local communities.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including the impact of recent changes to the ways benefits are paid. As part of the Executive’s commitment to building stronger communities, we are supporting the Scottish Post Office Network through a £2 million development fund for urban post offices.

Public Private Partnerships

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it expects to spend under PFI/PPP schemes in each of the next three years, broken down by individual project.

Mr Andy Kerr: An estimate of the amount the Executive expects to spend under PFI/PPP schemes in each of the next three years, broken down by individual project, is shown in the following table.

  

 

Project Name 
  

2003-04
(£ Million) 
  

2004-05
(£ Million) 
  

2005-06
(£ Million) 
  



Health 
  

Argyll and Clyde Acute 
  

1.5 
  

1.5 
  

1.5 
  



Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care Trust 
  

2.1 
  

2.1 
  

2.1 
  



Dumfries and Galloway Acute 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  



Yorkhill NHS Trust 
  

0.6 
  

0.6 
  

0.6 
  



South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust – 210 
  bed unit 
  

2.6 
  

2.6 
  

2.7 
  



South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust - Hospital 
  Information System 
  

0.7 
  

0.7 
  

0.8 
  



Highland Primary Care Trust 
  

3.3 
  

3.4 
  

3.4 
  



Lanarkshire Acute - Hairmyres 
  

15.2 
  

15.5 
  

15.9 
  



Lanarkshire Acute - Wishaw 
  

22.2 
  

22.8 
  

23.3 
  



Lanarkshire Acute - Hospital Information System 
  

0.5 
  

0.5 
  

- 
  



Lanarkshire Health Board - 40 bed unit 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  

1.5 
  



Lothian Primary Care Trust - Ferryfield House 
  

0.9 
  

0.9 
  

0.9 
  



Lothian Primary Care Trust - Ellen’s Glen House 
  

0.9 
  

0.9 
  

0.9 
  



Lothian Primary Care Trust - Findlay House 
  

0.6 
  

0.6 
  

0.6 
  



West Lothian Healthcare NHS Trust 
  

0.9 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  



Lothian University NHS Trust - New Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh 
  

35.1 
  

35.8 
  

35.5 
  



Lothian University NHS Trust - Hospital Information System 
  

2.6 
  

3.5 
  

3.5 
  



Tayside Primary Care Trust 
  

1.7 
  

1.7 
  

1.8 
  



Tayside University Primary Care Trust 
  

1.3 
  

0.7 
  

0.5 
  



Justice 
  

Kilmarnock Prison 
  

13.5 
  

13.5 
  

13.5 
  



Local Authorities 
  

Aberdeenshire Council - schools 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  



Argyll and Bute Council – waste management 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  



City of Dundee Council – waste to energy 
  

2.3 
  

2.3 
  

2.3 
  



City of Edinburgh Council - schools 
  

4.0 
  

5.9 
  

5.9 
  



City of Glasgow Council – schools 
  

14.7 
  

14.7 
  

14.7 
  



East Lothian – schools 
  

- 
  

2.0 
  

3.0 
  



East Renfrewshire Council – schools 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  

1.3 
  



Falkirk Council – schools 
  

8.6 
  

8.6 
  

8.6 
  



Fife Council - schools 
  

2.5 
  

3.7 
  

3.7 
  



Highland Council - IT 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  



Highland Council - schools 
  

1.6 
  

1.6 
  

1.6 
  



Midlothian Council - schools 
  

2.1 
  

3.1 
  

3.1 
  



Moray Council – education IT 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  

1.0 
  



Perth and Kinross Council – office accommodation 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  



Stirling Council - schools 
  

1.6 
  

1.6 
  

1.6 
  



Strathclyde Police – training college 
  

2.2 
  

2.2 
  

2.2 
  



West Lothian Council - schools 
  

1.9 
  

1.9 
  

1.9 
  



National Roads and Transport 
  

M6 
  

21.9 
  

22.3 
  

19.3 
  



M77* 
  

- 
  

2.2 
  

10.5 
  



Skye Bridge 
  

1.9 
  

1.9 
  

1.9 
  



Nationalised Industries 
  

Inverness Airport Terminal Building 
  

1.4 
  

1.4 
  

1.5 
  



Social Work 
  

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration 
  

1.5 
  

1.6 
  

1.6 
  



Water and Sewerage 
  

Almond Valley and Seafield 
  

19.3 
  

19.8 
  

20.3 
  



Levenmouth 
  

7.8 
  

8.0 
  

8.2 
  



Aberdeen 
  

15.1 
  

15.6 
  

15.8 
  



Highland 
  

8.4 
  

8.6 
  

8.8 
  



Moray Coast 
  

10.1 
  

10.3 
  

10.5 
  



Tay 
  

20.4 
  

20.7 
  

20.9 
  



Ayrshire 
  

11.3 
  

11.5 
  

11.8 
  



Daldowie 
  

16.4 
  

16.7 
  

17.1 
  



Dalmuir 
  

7.2 
  

7.3 
  

7.4 
  



  Note:

  *This is a joint PPP project between Scottish Executive and East Renfrewshire Council.

  The Executive has made provisional commitments to other PPP projects but the amount and timing of the funding of these will not be known until the project procurements reach financial close. For instance, funding will be available to support schools PPP projects to a total capital investment value of £2 billion over the next few years.

  In addition to the table, which shows projects where direct Executive funding support has been established, projects in the further education sector have been indirectly funded by the Executive as a result of support for the funding councils. Details of their contributions towards PPPs are available from the councils.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary question to question S2F-194 by the First Minister on 11 September 2003, what criteria will be applied to assess the business case for the Borders Railway.

Nicol Stephen: All business cases are required to be compliant with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidelines (STAG)

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the fourth supplementary question to question S2F-194 by the First Minister on 11 September 2003, whether the Waverley railway partnership has been advised of the criteria to be applied to assess the business case for the Borders Railway.

Nicol Stephen: I can confirm that Waverley railway partnership has been advised of the criteria to be applied.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the business case for the Borders railway must reflect inflationary factors such as construction costs and, if so, how such costs will be calculated.

Nicol Stephen: The business case should be presented in 2002 prices. It is for Waverley Railway Partnership to propose the approach to inflation in its business case.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider funding an application from the Waverley Route Trust in respect of its proposed research project on modification of the current railway specification to accommodate the movement of charter and freight trains and of express services taking under 50 minutes from Tweedbank to Edinburgh and a specialist technical, operational and business case study of the potential application of innovative approaches to the Borders railway.

Nicol Stephen: No. We have funded the Waverley Railway Partnership to take the project to the current stage. The specification of the railway is a matter for the partnership to justify in its business case.

Rail Network

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on which ScotRail routes do not carry operational losses.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not held centrally.

Renewable Energy

Mr Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-335 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 September 2003, what progress has been made by the group led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in considering transmission issues arising from potential renewables developments in the northern and western isles.

Lewis Macdonald: The first meeting of the Highlands and Islands Transmission Issues Group was held on 26 August. The group discussed the action required in order to develop the case for new power connections from the Highlands and Islands to the principal centres of population in the most effective and rational way. The group agreed that the first stage of this process would be to establish the size of the potential renewable energy resource in each of the Island areas and in the Highland Council area.

  The group is scheduled to meet again in November to review progress.

Road Safety

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority area will receive of the additional £16.85 million for cycling, walking and safer streets projects announced on 11 September 2003, expressed also on a per capita basis.

Nicol Stephen: The allocations to local authorities for 2004-05 and 2005-06 for cycling, walking and safer streets projects are set out below.

  

 

Population 
  

Allocation 2004-05
(£000) 
  

Spending 2004-05
Per Capita 
  

Allocation 2005-06
(£000) 
  

Spending 2004-05
Per Capita 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

211,910 
  

343 
  

£1.62 
  

362 
  

£1.71 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

226,940 
  

367 
  

£1.62 
  

388 
  

£1.71 
  



Angus 
  

108,370 
  

175 
  

£1.61 
  

185 
  

£1.71 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

91,300 
  

148 
  

£1.62 
  

156 
  

£1.71 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

48,070 
  

78 
  

£1.62 
  

82 
  

£1.70 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

147,780 
  

240 
  

£1.62 
  

252 
  

£1.70 
  



Dundee City 
  

145,460 
  

236 
  

£1.63 
  

248 
  

£1.70 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

120,310 
  

195 
  

£1.62 
  

205 
  

£1.70 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

108,250 
  

175 
  

£1.62 
  

185 
  

£1.71 
  



East Lothian 
  

90,180 
  

146 
  

£1.62 
  

154 
  

£1.71 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

89,410 
  

145 
  

£1.62 
  

153 
  

£1.71 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

449,020 
  

727 
  

£1.62 
  

767 
  

£1.71 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

26,450 
  

43 
  

£1.62 
  

45 
  

£1.70 
  



Falkirk 
  

145,270 
  

235 
  

£1.62 
  

248 
  

£1.70 
  



Fife 
  

349,770 
  

566 
  

£1.62 
  

597 
  

£1.71 
  



Glasgow City 
  

578,710 
  

937 
  

£1.62 
  

988 
  

£1.71 
  



Highland 
  

208,920 
  

338 
  

£1.62 
  

357 
  

£1.71 
  



Inverclyde 
  

84,150 
  

136 
  

£1.62 
  

144 
  

£1.71 
  



Midlothian 
  

80,950 
  

131 
  

£1.62 
  

138 
  

£1.70 
  



Moray 
  

87,000 
  

141 
  

£1.62 
  

149 
  

£1.71 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

135,820 
  

220 
  

£1.62 
  

232 
  

£1.71 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

321,180 
  

520 
  

£1.62 
  

549 
  

£1.71 
  



Orkney 
  

19,220 
  

31 
  

£1.61 
  

33 
  

£1.72 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

134,950 
  

219 
  

£1.62 
  

231 
  

£1.71 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

172,850 
  

280 
  

£1.62 
  

295 
  

£1.71 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

106,950 
  

173 
  

£1.62 
  

183 
  

£1.71 
  



Shetland 
  

21,960 
  

36 
  

£1.64 
  

38 
  

£1.73 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

112,160 
  

182 
  

£1.62 
  

192 
  

£1.71 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

302,340 
  

490 
  

£1.62 
  

516 
  

£1.71 
  



Stirling 
  

86,200 
  

140 
  

£1.62 
  

147 
  

£1.70 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

93,320 
  

151 
  

£1.62 
  

159 
  

£1.70 
  



West Lothian 
  

159,030 
  

258 
  

£1.62 
  

272 
  

£1.71

Roads

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had to the Department for Transport’s criteria for the placement of road markings since May 1999.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is represented at official level on the Department for Transport Road Markings Technical Working Party.

Scottish Water

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £60 million announced by Scottish Water to be spent in Aberdeenshire will be invested in repairing broken pipes and other restorative measures downriver to ensure that low water levels do not endanger salmon stocks on the River Dee.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water is investing £2.7 million to renew or repair 40 kilometres of water mains within Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. This work is prioritised to ensure those pipes which are in the worst condition are fixed first and that the funds invested will produce the greatest benefit in the area. In addition to the current investment to repair or replace pipes, Scottish Water is also investing resources to evaluate the impact of leaking on water networks across Scotland and this information will be used to identify future investment priorities. Water abstraction from the River Dee is regulated by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and there has been no indication from them which suggests Scottish Water’s abstraction levels are detrimentally affecting the river.

Scottish Water

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are for a reservoir facility to reduce dependence on water extraction from the River Dee in Aberdeenshire in order to feed homes and industry planned for future development and to take account of low water levels that may threaten the survival of spawning salmon in the river.

Ross Finnie: Scottish Water does not at present have plans for a reservoir facility in the area. Water abstraction from the River Dee is regulated by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and there has been no indication from them which suggests Scottish Water’s abstraction levels are detrimentally affecting the river. The water currently being used is well below allowable limits and overall actual demand for water is expected to remain stable in the area.

Young People

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-32215 by Iain Gray on 13 December 2002, what the most up-to-date figures are for the percentage of 16- to 19-year-olds not in education, training or employment, broken down by (a) local authority area, (b) gender and (c) age.

Mr Jim Wallace: Table 1 shows the number and proportion of 16- to 19-year-olds not in education, training or employment (NEET) in Scotland, by gender. Figures are taken from the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS).

  Table 1

  


NEET 
  

Mar 96
to
Feb 97 
  

Mar 97
to
Feb 98 
  

Mar 98
to
Feb 99 
  

Mar 99
to
Feb 00 
  

Mar 00
to
Feb 01 
  

Mar 01
to
Feb 02 
  

Mar 02
to
Feb 03 
  



Total 
  

36,000 
  

34,000 
  

36,000 
  

38,000 
  

39,000 
  

39,000 
  

36,000 
  



% of age group 
  

15% 
  

13% 
  

14% 
  

15% 
  

15% 
  

15% 
  

14% 
  



Males 
  

20,000 
  

18,000 
  

19,000 
  

21,000 
  

18,000 
  

21,000 
  

20,000 
  



% of age group 
  

16% 
  

14% 
  

14% 
  

16% 
  

14% 
  

17% 
  

15% 
  



Females 
  

16,000 
  

16,000 
  

17,000 
  

17,000 
  

20,000 
  

18,000 
  

16,000 
  



% of age group 
  

13% 
  

12% 
  

14% 
  

14% 
  

16% 
  

14% 
  

13% 
  



  Data split by age and local authority for the NEET group are not available from the Labour Force Survey, as sample sizes are not large enough. The following three tables include data from the 2001 Census of population by age, gender and local authority area for the NEET group.

  Table 2: Percentage and Number of 16- to 19-Year-Olds not in Education, Training or Employment in 2001 shown for Scotland and Local Authorities in Scotland.

  

 

Males 
  

Females 
  

All 
  



Level 
  

% 
  

Level 
  

% 
  

Level 
  

% 
  



Scotland 
  

17,431 
  

13.7% 
  

15,960 
  

12.8% 
  

33,391 
  

13.2% 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

537 
  

9.8% 
  

546 
  

9.2% 
  

1,083 
  

9.5% 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

526 
  

9.1% 
  

420 
  

8.3% 
  

946 
  

8.7% 
  



Angus 
  

325 
  

12.2% 
  

334 
  

13.6% 
  

659 
  

12.9% 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

193 
  

9.2% 
  

222 
  

12.1% 
  

415 
  

10.5% 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

193 
  

15.9% 
  

209 
  

17.9% 
  

402 
  

16.9% 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

473 
  

14.4% 
  

475 
  

15.4% 
  

948 
  

14.9% 
  



Dundee City 
  

608 
  

14.8% 
  

560 
  

13.5% 
  

1,168 
  

14.2% 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

452 
  

15.9% 
  

492 
  

17.0% 
  

944 
  

16.4% 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

240 
  

8.2% 
  

157 
  

5.6% 
  

397 
  

6.9% 
  



East Lothian 
  

211 
  

11.1% 
  

287 
  

14.8% 
  

498 
  

13.0% 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

160 
  

6.9% 
  

133 
  

6.2% 
  

293 
  

6.5% 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

1,085 
  

9.7% 
  

1,138 
  

9.9% 
  

2,223 
  

9.8% 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

57 
  

9.8% 
  

45 
  

8.8% 
  

102 
  

9.3% 
  



Falkirk 
  

640 
  

17.6% 
  

387 
  

11.4% 
  

1,027 
  

14.6% 
  



Fife 
  

1,269 
  

14.3% 
  

1,152 
  

13.3% 
  

2,421 
  

13.8% 
  



Glasgow City 
  

3,155 
  

20.6% 
  

2,819 
  

17.6% 
  

5,974 
  

19.1% 
  



Highland 
  

582 
  

11.7% 
  

518 
  

11.9% 
  

1,100 
  

11.8% 
  



Inverclyde 
  

344 
  

15.8% 
  

307 
  

14.4% 
  

651 
  

15.1% 
  



Midlothian 
  

220 
  

11.3% 
  

231 
  

12.1% 
  

451 
  

11.7% 
  



Moray 
  

261 
  

12.4% 
  

224 
  

12.1% 
  

485 
  

12.2% 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

593 
  

17.6% 
  

588 
  

17.3% 
  

1,181 
  

17.4% 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

1,451 
  

16.4% 
  

1,210 
  

14.5% 
  

2,661 
  

15.5% 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

37 
  

8.6% 
  

29 
  

7.1% 
  

66 
  

7.9% 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

297 
  

9.0% 
  

280 
  

9.8% 
  

577 
  

9.4% 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

546 
  

12.7% 
  

506 
  

12.4% 
  

1,052 
  

12.6% 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

244 
  

11.6% 
  

239 
  

10.9% 
  

483 
  

11.2% 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

24 
  

4.6% 
  

53 
  

11.3% 
  

77 
  

7.7% 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

363 
  

14.0% 
  

349 
  

14.0% 
  

712 
  

14.0% 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1,095 
  

13.7% 
  

930 
  

12.2% 
  

2,025 
  

12.9% 
  



Stirling 
  

217 
  

9.5% 
  

176 
  

7.6% 
  

393 
  

8.5% 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

423 
  

16.5% 
  

377 
  

15.3% 
  

800 
  

15.9% 
  



West Lothian 
  

610 
  

15.8% 
  

567 
  

14.8% 
  

1,177 
  

15.3% 
  



  Source: 2001 Census of Population.

  Table 3(a): Percentage of 16- to 19-Year-Olds not in Education, Training or Employment in 2001 Shown by Gender and Single Year Age Bands for Scotland and Local Authorities In Scotland.

  





% of NEET Males 
  

% of NEET Females 
  



16 yr olds 
  

17 yr olds 
  

18 yr olds 
  

19 yr olds 
  

16 yr olds 
  

17 yr olds 
  

18 yr olds 
  

19 yr olds 
  



Scotland 
  

9.6% 
  

13.1% 
  

16.8% 
  

15.4% 
  

7.8% 
  

11.8% 
  

15.5% 
  

16.3% 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

7.3% 
  

11.3% 
  

11.4% 
  

9.1% 
  

7.3% 
  

9.2% 
  

10.8% 
  

8.9% 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

5.1% 
  

9.9% 
  

11.9% 
  

10.3% 
  

3.8% 
  

6.5% 
  

12.0% 
  

13.6% 
  



Angus 
  

7.4% 
  

12.3% 
  

16.2% 
  

14.2% 
  

4.8% 
  

11.5% 
  

18.6% 
  

22.2% 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

5.7% 
  

10.1% 
  

9.2% 
  

12.5% 
  

5.9% 
  

8.4% 
  

20.3% 
  

17.4% 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

7.7% 
  

12.7% 
  

21.5% 
  

24.6% 
  

9.7% 
  

19.7% 
  

20.5% 
  

24.9% 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

7.1% 
  

11.8% 
  

20.7% 
  

22.3% 
  

7.2% 
  

13.6% 
  

18.6% 
  

26.3% 
  



Dundee City 
  

13.2% 
  

17.4% 
  

16.7% 
  

12.7% 
  

9.1% 
  

14.3% 
  

13.2% 
  

16.4% 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

10.9% 
  

13.7% 
  

18.7% 
  

20.9% 
  

10.5% 
  

15.6% 
  

22.5% 
  

20.6% 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

5.5% 
  

8.8% 
  

9.4% 
  

9.6% 
  

3.4% 
  

3.2% 
  

6.7% 
  

9.6% 
  



East Lothian 
  

6.6% 
  

10.3% 
  

16.5% 
  

13.3% 
  

8.4% 
  

12.8% 
  

17.9% 
  

23.5% 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

3.8% 
  

7.6% 
  

8.2% 
  

8.7% 
  

3.7% 
  

4.7% 
  

7.2% 
  

9.8% 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

9.0% 
  

11.4% 
  

10.5% 
  

8.3% 
  

7.6% 
  

11.8% 
  

11.2% 
  

9.0% 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

7.4% 
  

8.1% 
  

10.8% 
  

14.8% 
  

4.5% 
  

6.9% 
  

7.1% 
  

22.0% 
  



Falkirk 
  

9.9% 
  

17.2% 
  

20.1% 
  

23.8% 
  

7.2% 
  

10.6% 
  

12.2% 
  

15.7% 
  



Fife 
  

8.7% 
  

13.7% 
  

20.0% 
  

15.3% 
  

6.5% 
  

11.1% 
  

18.2% 
  

17.3% 
  



Glasgow City 
  

18.4% 
  

21.8% 
  

23.6% 
  

18.8% 
  

14.7% 
  

19.0% 
  

18.1% 
  

18.2% 
  



Highland 
  

5.9% 
  

8.3% 
  

18.2% 
  

18.2% 
  

5.2% 
  

9.0% 
  

16.8% 
  

20.8% 
  



Inverclyde 
  

8.4% 
  

13.1% 
  

18.3% 
  

24.2% 
  

8.6% 
  

11.8% 
  

17.6% 
  

20.6% 
  



Midlothian 
  

9.3% 
  

8.9% 
  

14.3% 
  

13.3% 
  

6.0% 
  

9.7% 
  

16.3% 
  

18.0% 
  



Moray 
  

5.5% 
  

13.7% 
  

17.5% 
  

14.2% 
  

5.4% 
  

10.2% 
  

15.4% 
  

22.0% 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

10.7% 
  

15.6% 
  

22.9% 
  

21.8% 
  

9.6% 
  

15.3% 
  

21.0% 
  

24.9% 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

10.9% 
  

14.0% 
  

20.2% 
  

20.5% 
  

9.0% 
  

13.3% 
  

18.1% 
  

18.3% 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

3.1% 
  

5.5% 
  

15.0% 
  

14.7% 
  

3.3% 
  

2.3% 
  

10.5% 
  

20.3% 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

7.1% 
  

7.1% 
  

10.4% 
  

13.1% 
  

4.4% 
  

6.8% 
  

16.1% 
  

16.0% 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

9.9% 
  

11.5% 
  

14.8% 
  

15.3% 
  

7.5% 
  

9.8% 
  

15.8% 
  

17.2% 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

6.1% 
  

12.0% 
  

15.8% 
  

14.5% 
  

4.4% 
  

9.7% 
  

12.4% 
  

20.2% 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

0.6% 
  

2.8% 
  

8.9% 
  

7.8% 
  

5.2% 
  

13.3% 
  

16.0% 
  

12.2% 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

10.0% 
  

11.7% 
  

17.9% 
  

17.8% 
  

9.2% 
  

12.1% 
  

15.8% 
  

20.8% 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

10.6% 
  

11.9% 
  

16.6% 
  

16.0% 
  

8.1% 
  

11.3% 
  

13.9% 
  

15.9% 
  



Stirling 
  

7.1% 
  

8.6% 
  

11.1% 
  

10.6% 
  

5.0% 
  

7.3% 
  

9.2% 
  

8.2% 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

10.1% 
  

17.2% 
  

18.7% 
  

20.4% 
  

10.7% 
  

13.1% 
  

17.6% 
  

20.1% 
  



West Lothian 
  

12.3% 
  

14.5% 
  

18.1% 
  

18.9% 
  

6.5% 
  

13.0% 
  

21.9% 
  

19.3% 
  



  Source: 2001 Census of Population.

  Table 3(b): Percentage of 16- to 19-Year-Olds not in Education, Training or Employment in 2001 Shown by Single Year Age Bands for Scotland and Local Authorities in Scotland.

  

 

% of NEET Total 



16 yr olds 

17 yr olds 

18 yr olds 

19 yr olds 



Scotland 

8.7% 

12.4% 

16.1% 

15.9% 



Aberdeen City 

7.3% 

10.2% 

11.1% 

9.0% 



Aberdeenshire 

4.5% 

8.3% 

11.9% 

11.7% 



Angus 

6.1% 

11.9% 

17.3% 

18.1% 



Argyll and Bute 

5.8% 

9.3% 

14.2% 

14.7% 



Clackmannanshire 

8.7% 

16.0% 

21.0% 

24.8% 



Dumfries and Galloway 

7.2% 

12.7% 

19.7% 

24.2% 



Dundee City 

11.2% 

15.9% 

14.9% 

14.6% 



East Ayrshire 

10.7% 

14.7% 

20.6% 

20.8% 



East Dunbartonshire 

4.4% 

6.1% 

8.1% 

9.6% 



East Lothian 

7.5% 

11.5% 

17.2% 

18.6% 



East Renfrewshire 

3.7% 

6.2% 

7.7% 

9.2% 



Edinburgh, City of 

8.3% 

11.6% 

10.8% 

8.7% 



Eilean Siar 

5.9% 

7.5% 

9.3% 

18.1% 



Falkirk 

8.6% 

14.0% 

16.3% 

19.8% 



Fife 

7.6% 

12.5% 

19.1% 

16.3% 



Glasgow City 

16.6% 

20.4% 

20.7% 

18.5% 



Highland 

5.5% 

8.6% 

17.6% 

19.5% 



Inverclyde 

8.5% 

12.5% 

18.0% 

22.4% 



Midlothian 

7.7% 

9.3% 

15.3% 

15.6% 



Moray 

5.4% 

12.0% 

16.5% 

17.5% 



North Ayrshire 

10.1% 

15.5% 

22.0% 

23.3% 



North Lanarkshire 

10.0% 

13.6% 

19.2% 

19.5% 



Orkney Islands 

3.2% 

3.8% 

12.8% 

17.2% 



Perth and Kinross 

5.7% 

7.0% 

13.0% 

14.4% 



Renfrewshire 

8.7% 

10.6% 

15.3% 

16.2% 



Scottish Borders 

5.2% 

10.8% 

14.1% 

17.4% 



Shetland Islands 

2.8% 

8.1% 

11.9% 

9.9% 



South Ayrshire 

9.6% 

11.9% 

16.9% 

19.3% 



South Lanarkshire 

9.4% 

11.6% 

15.3% 

16.0% 



Stirling 

6.0% 

8.0% 

10.1% 

9.4% 



West Dunbartonshire 

10.4% 

15.2% 

18.2% 

20.3% 



West Lothian 

9.3% 

13.8% 

20.0% 

19.1% 



  Source: 2001 Census of Population.